New Laws, more funding for mental health services seen likely

A new state report on mental illness, firearms regulations and violence prevention will result in new laws and possibly more funding for mental health services, predicted several of those involved with the effort.

The state Advisory Committee on Violence Prevention was formed by a state Senate resolution in early 2013 in the aftermath of the Dec. 14, 2012, massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

People should not be discouraged that it took a year for the committee to issue a report, said Dr. Edward B. Michalik, a committee member and the administrator of the Berks County Mental Health/Developmental Disabilities Program.

"I don't think any momentum has been lost," he said. "I know people are impatient but I'd rather have a well-informed consensus moving forward."

The committee debated for hours during many meetings in Harrisburg and numerous conference calls during that year, he said.

The committee operated under the Joint State Government Commission, the nonpartisan research agency of the state Legislature. The 295-page report was exactly what the state Senate wanted to see, said state Sen. David G. Argall, a Schuylkill County Republican who represents part of Berks and a co-sponsor of the resolution that established the committee.

"What we were looking for was a broad-based set of individuals from all across Pennsylvania to take a look at this," Argall said. "I'm sure some of the recommendations will become law and some won't."

Legislation being prepared

Argall said state Sen. Stewart Greenleaf, a Montgomery County Republican who originally proposed the committee, is preparing legislation based on the panel's suggestions.

The recommendations range from excellent to simply being difficult to implement, said state Sen. Judy Schwank, a Ruscombmanor Township Democrat who also co-sponsored the resolution establishing the committee.

One of the recommendations that would take great political will but seems unlikely to be tackled is rewriting the state firearms code, she said.

Schwank said it makes sense to rewrite the confusing code so that it is easier to understand, but that people react poorly any time anyone makes such a suggestion.

"Rewriting the firearms code so it's clear certainly makes sense, but it would be difficult to do," she said.

She said she is most interested in recommendations regarding mental health issues, particularly increasing mental health services for those not covered by Medicaid and other programs. "We could be covering people now," she said. "We're wasting time."

She said she's eager to speak with Greenleaf regarding proposed legislation. "It's important not that we have a great report but that we act on it," she said.

There also is another ongoing study of the state mental health system under a resolution that was introduced by state Rep. Thomas R. Caltagirone, a Reading Democrat.